Pitti Italics: Nicolò and Carlotta Oddi and their brand ALANUI

In Hawaiian it means great path and from last year it has been chosen by Nicolò Oddi and his sister Carlotta as the name of their brand. ALANUI was born as a single-product brand, but, given the success achieved in only a few months and its presence in important stores, it will blossom soon in a proper full lifestyle collection. Expression of a real journey, but also of an inner and personal travel, is the oversized jacquard cashmere cardigan handmade in Italy, with top-quality yarns and processing that takes up to eleven hours. Alanui debuts at Pitti Immagine Uomo 92 as a Pitti Italics and on the eve of this edition of Pitti Uomo we interviewed Carlotta and Nicolò Oddi to find out more about this adventure.

What route led you into the world of fashion and why have you decided to launch your own line?

Fashion has always been a passion for me. I was fortunate enough to begin working in this field with Anna Dello Russo: it was an important education and I learned a lot and am still learning. I’ve worked very hard and I’ve been rewarded by excellent results. Nicolò and I have always wanted to get out there and make something of our own. He has developed a strong entrepreneurial spirit and has always been intrigued by the fashion scene. Alanui arose from a simple idea and from a continuous dialogue in developing it.

What are the brand’s characteristics? What makes it special?

Alanui was created with the idea of making a garment with a strong emotional power, that could be linked to the person wearing it and accompany them in their experiences. We try to transmit to each individual garment the passion that we put into making it, as well as the craftsmanship and fine quality that characterize Italian manufacture.

How important is it to present at a show like Pitti?

It’s an international showcase and being a guest of Pitti Italics in little more than a year after Alanui’s debut has been a great honour and also a surprise. We’re happy to be able to be in Florence and present the Alanui world in such a special setting.

Where do you get the inspirations for your work?

Travelling is the main characteristic of the brand. In fact, Alanui was created from a trip to California and from a road trip to Hawaii. Colours, patterns, nature, even the typical smells of a place can inspire us. Alanui is a journey that seeks to pay homage to different cultures and worlds.

There’s a new generation of Italian designers, a generational exchange that is taking place. Who do you admire or feel an affinity with among the young Italian designers?

We admire Alessandro Michele very much: he’s involved in an incredible journey with Gucci. We’re happy that space is being given to new talents and that the market is receptive to the arrival of new projects like ours. There’s renewed great excitement in Italy at the moment, and it’s a fantastic time for cities like Florence and Milan that represent Italian fashion in the world.

Can you give us a preview of what we’ll see in Florence?

We’re trying to create an installation that will project visitors into our imaginary world. The location, the Tepidarium del Roster, is brilliant and we’re working to make the presentation an experience and a journey into what we believe to be the Alanui values. We don’t want it to be the presentation of a collection, but the representation of a world and of the Alanui vision.

What are your plans or dreams for the future?

We want to concentrate even more on developing Alanui and – why not? – trying to make it a lifestyle brand.